Table top and process of making the same



June 17 1924,;

J. M. BROS TABLE TOP AND PROCESS OF MAKING THE SAME Filed April 9, 1923 fNVE/VTOR Jams-PH /7- 5/?06 Patented June 17, 1924.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. BROS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO WM. BROS BOILER & MFG. 00., OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF IIIINNESOTA.

TABLE TOP AND PROCESS OF LIAKING THE SAME.

Application filed April 9, 1923. Serial No. 630,957.

To all whom it may come-rm Be it known that I, Josnrrr M. BROS, a citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, and

State of Minnesota, have invented certain with the surface of the table and by the action of some cooling agent such as water, circulating under or near the bed of the table.

The tables used for this purpose are gen-' erally about 4; feet wide and from 8 to lO feet long, and to quickly feel the eifect of a circulating cooling agent, the table bed is preferably of metal; and to insure uniform thickness of the sheet of candy when cool, it is importantthat the upper surface of the bed be level and free from waves or ridges. To possess these characteristics, and be of the size required for the table, the bed should be made ofa comparatively thick sheet of metal, and to prevent the material in its liquid state from flowing outwardly over the edges of the bed, side and end walls or flanges are provided and these preferably should be made so that there will be no cracks or joints in whichthe melted'material may lodge and detract from the clean sanitary character of the table. Evidently, it would be impracticable to provide removable walls or flanges on the bed, and at the same time avoid the objectionable joints, and the object therefor of my invention is to provide a table bed of the desired thickness having flanged'side and end walls from which all objectionable joints and cracks are eliminated and the bed of the table provided with a smooth continuous surface which can easily be kept clean.

Afurther object is to provide a table bed of inexpensive construction and one which can be made of any desired size.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a sectional view of ablank sheet of boiler plate which I prefer to utilize in the formation of my table bed;-

' Figure 2 is a perspective view of the under slde of the plate after the edges'have been planed or milled to form the desired recess or rabbet therein; 7

Figure 3 is a sectional view showing the recess or rabbet in one edge of the plate;

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the completed table top;

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing how the flange at the edge is folded or bent from a horizontal to a substantially upright position; I a I Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detailedsectional view showing the chamber beneath the bed wherein a cooling or heating medium may be circulated. V

In the drawing:

I, I have shown in Figure 1 indicated by numeral 2, a sheet of boiler plate of any suitable thickness. In this particular in stance I prefer to use a plate one-half inch in thickness and cut the width and length desired for the dimensions of the table top In the longitudinal andtransverse edges of this plate, I form a recess or rabbet 3, by planing or milling, in a manner similar to the rabbeting of a wooden plate in the art of wood-working. This recess is of suflicient width and depth to form a flange 4 extending around the edge of the plate on the upper side, the surface of the flange being flush with the top surface of the plate which before the planing or milling operation has been smoothed or planed until it is perfectly flat and free from ridges or indentations. The plate is sufficiently thick so that the top will be firm and rigid and the melted material poured therein will flow outwardly in a thin uniform sheet, spreading over the surface of the plate.

The neXt step in the formation of the 'table top consists in bending the flange 4 upwardlyinabendingmachine or any other suitable apparatus which will turn the flange upwardly, a distanceof about 60 degrees from the horizontal, leaving an obtuse angle on the inner side'of the flange between it and the top surface of the plate of about 120 degrees; the surface of the flange and the plate merging and forming a gradual unbroken curve as indicated at 5 in Fig ures 5 and 7, thus eliminating the sharp angle or crack that is sometimes formed between the flat surface and an inclined wall encircling the same, and in which material will accumulate and cause unsanitary con ditions. The flange is continuous around the plate, and at the corners the side and end walls will be merged forming a rounded surface on the inner side as indicated at 6 in Figure 6; the material at the corners projecting above the side and end walls when the flange is formed being removed by suitable means. Thus when the top is completed, there will be provided a solid substantial bed, rigid under all conditions, having a flat upper surface and upwardly projecting flanges continuous with the bed and forming side and end walls having no sharp angles, joints, or cracks in which the melted material may lodge or which may be diiiicult to clean and keep in a sanitary con dition. The melted material flowing over the smooth metal surface of the bed will cool rapidly and the temperature of the surface of the bed may be kept below normal by mounting the bed over a circulating chamber 7 having suitable connections for maintaining a circulation of cold .water continuously in contact with the under surface of the bed.

I have shown and described the table top adapted for cooling purposes, but do not wish to confine myself to this use, as a heating means such as steam may be circulated through the chamber 7 in substantially the same manner as the cooling medium for the purpose of heating the bed of the tabletop. hen the flange is bent upwardly around 'the edge of the plate, the device assumes the form of a shallow panand may be so used for various purposes and still be within the scope of my invention.

1 claiin as my invention:

1. A process of making a table bed which consists in forming a recess in the under side of the peripheral edges of a metal plate leaving a comparatively thin flange projecting horizontally around the upper surface of said plate, then bending said flange upwardly to form integral side and end Walls projecting above said bed.

'2. A process of making a cooling table bed which consists in smoothing one side of a comparatively thick sheet of boiler plate, then milling a rabbet-like recess in the edges of said plate at the sides and ends thereof to form a laterally projecting peripheral flange, and finally'bending said flange upwardly to form an integral continuous wall encircling the upper surface of said plate.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a table bed comprising a comparatively thick metal sheet having a smooth upper surface and a comparatively thin integral wall flange encircling the upper surface of said sheet, the inner face of said flange and the top of said sheet forming a continuous unbroken surface. j j 7 4. A table bed comprising a relatively thick metal plate having a relatively: thin integral flange encircling its upper surface and projecting upwardly I and outwardly therefrom, said flange meeting thesurfajce of said bed and the side flange meeting the end flange in gradual continuous curves In witness whereof, I'have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of April, 1923,

JOSEPH M. BRDS. 

